COUNCIL has embarked on a bold mission to muster support from other councils and immediately stop the Queensland Government from backing the proposed Adani Carmichael Coal Mine Project in the Galilee Basin.
Douglas Shire Council unanimously passed a submission detailing its concerns and vigorous representations to be tabled at the Local Government Association of Queensland Annual Conference in October this year.

Mayor Julia Leu said Queensland councils have an opportunity to stop the coal mine project from jeopardising the Great Barrier Reef.
“Council will not stand idle and watch the backbone of Douglas Shire’s economy – the spectacular Great Barrier Reef – be carelessly threatened by a selfish and short-sighted project,” she said.
“It is absolutely critical that we strive to protect our most precious natural assets and our ability to do this will define local government leaders across Queensland.
“This proposed project will have detrimental impacts such as increased ocean acidification and temperatures, while sparking busier shipping vessel activity in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.”

A scuba diver checks out the Great Barrier Reef

Economic estimates have tourism worth more than $670 million to the Douglas Shire economy and responsible for more than 2000 full time jobs.
The Great Barrier Reef is valued at $56 billion and is estimated to contribute about $6.4 billion and 64,000 jobs annually to the Australia’s economy.

“Council will not stand idle and watch the backbone of Douglas Shire’s economy – the spectacular Great Barrier Reef – be carelessly threatened by a selfish and short-sighted project.”

More than 1000 people attended a “Stop Adani, Coral not Coal” protest at Four Mile Beach in Port Douglas in October last year.

Mayor Leu said negative impacts were obvious.
“There is huge private investment and confidence in our reef tourism industry with new and expanded dive adventures,” she said.
“Our community has given us a clear mandate to be on the front foot and protect one of our World Heritage listed icons that attracts people from across the globe.”
“The Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree National Park represents 80% of economic activity within Douglas annually so we must not let this environmentally-blind project go ahead.”

Council has already written to the Prime Minister, the Queensland Premier, the Federal Minister for Environment and Energy and also the Queensland Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection and Minister for National Parks and the Great Barrier Reef to outline its opposition to coal mining in the Galilee Basin.